Young Guns
Last month, the Sports and Youth Ministry ended the process of selecting this years best young entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Admittedly, the number of entrepreneurs here is still considered low, a mere 0.18 percent of the total population. Yet a minimum of 2 percent must be entrepreneurs if the economy is to progress rapidly. The popular view that being an entrepreneur lacks pizzaz may be one reason why its not a much-sought-after profession. But in eastern Indonesia this mindset is changing, particularly among the youths. Tempo English Edition profiles a number of young entrepreneurs in the provinces of West Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi.
September 14, 2011
IF Indonesia wants to become prosperous, it ideally needs more than 4 million entrepreneurs, or at least 2 percent of its population. Right now we have around 400,000 or 0.18 percent of the [total] population. We need to push to get the rest within the next 25 years, says Ciputra, the head of one of Indonesias conglomerates, known for his active support of entrepreneurs.
He says the causes of this shortfall can be traced back to the colonial perio
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